Kirby: Beginnings
by slam422
Summary: An adaptation of Kirby's first adventure. The greedy King Dedede has stolen the Popopo's 5 Sparkling Stars, and now Kirby must venture forth and get them back. But is there more to this adventure than meets the eye...? Chapter 4 is now up
1. Stolen Stars

**Matt: Another new story? Yes it is, but it's not any ordinary story. You see, I was playing "Kirby: Squeak Squad" the other day and I started to think...**

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**Real World Matt: Hmm, I really like the Kirby games, yet I've done nothing to show to the public my love for the pink puffball other than one piece of fan art. Maybe I should make a Fan fic!**

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**Matt: So here it is, a new fan fic from me. Please Enjoy! Oh, and as always, the Disclaimer is at the bottom.**

**(Please note that the story itself is only going to be about 5, maybe 6 chapters long as this is just a side project. Also know that this story is an ADAPTATION of the first Kirby game, so the chapters will NOT perfectly follow the actual game storyline. There will also be appearances of characters from the Kirby Anime, as well as foreshadowing for games that take place after (I also made some stuff up as I went along (mainly because, although I am a fan of the series, I really don't know all that much outside the games other than the faces of characters and their names, alongside a few key words...)))

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Super Randomness Productions presents 

**Kirby: Beginnings**

Kirby was just your average denizen of Dreamland, just living in lazy leisure and bliss. But when the greedy, gluttonous King Dedede steals all the food from Dreamland, as well as the 5 Sparkling Stars, Kirby will embark on an adventure that will change his life forever...

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**Chapter 1: Stolen Stars**

We've all heard of Kirby: the brave Star Warrior who has protected the planet of Pop Star from many villains who threatened the destruction of the planet. He is loved by all... well, most of Dreamland and is praised as a hero who will always bee there to protect the innocent...

...but he was not always a hero.

Kirby was once just an ordinary Dreamlander, a member of the Popopo tribe. The Popopo were a very peaceful and lazy race, and they always had fun. Every day was bliss, and that's just how Kirby loved it. However, he loved something more than peace, being lazy, and (surprisingly) food: he loved adventure.

Despite the wishes of his tribe's elders, Kirby was always sneaking off to go explore areas of Green Greens that most people told their young to stay away from; going even as far as the edge of Whispy Woods. Even though he was punished for his misbehavior later on, he did discover several interesting landmarks that others had no idea were there.

Today was no different than any other day for Kirby, as he has once again snuck away from the village to go exploring. He had a backpack strapped on his back that carried several snacks that he had brought with him, and he wore a safari cap on his head, showing that he was ready to take on whatever his next challenge was.

"Ah," he sighed, "there's nothing like a nice long stroll to take your mind off of the repetitive peace of everyday living."

Kirby leisurely walked across the rolling hills of Green Greens, taking in the beautiful sites that he came across. He looked up into the beautiful blue sky to see the many star-shaped clouds in the sky, lined together with rainbows that seemed to stretch into the heavens. The ground was covered with lush green grass that was accented by many multi-colored, star-shaped stones, with the occasional tree scattered here and there. One thing could be said about today, and that was that it couldn't get any more beautiful.

Kirby watched as a couple of birds flew passed him, when he heard a familiar voice...

"K-Kirby, wait up!"

Kirby looked back to see someone running up to him; it was Marx. Marx was a rare type of Dreamlander called a Marxian; they looked like a normal Popopo Dreamlander, but had unusually big eyes and no arms. Marx wore a pair of large glasses, a jester's cap, and a blue bowtie around his neck.

"Marx," greeted Kirby as he watched Marx quickly run up to him, "you finally decided to join me on one of my walks?"

"N-no, I didn't..." he wheezed, "I... _huff_... I came to... to get you to come back... _puff_... before you-you're caught... again..."

"So what if I get caught again? They'll just do what they always do: scold me, give me a simple slap on the wrist, and then go on their merry way."

"But Kirby, the outside world is dangerous! There are monsters, and bullies, and..."

"Look Marx, I'm glad that you would worry enough for you to go out of your way to come and get me, but I'll be fine. I've been all over Green Greens before, so I know my way around. And if anyone tries to start something..."

Kirby turned to a nearby star stone and started to inhale. Surprisingly, his suction actually started to create a small tornado from his mouth that sucked the stone right into it. After he sucked up the stone, he turned to a nearby star block and spit it back out in the form of a star, which impacted the block and destroyed them both.

"...I'll send whatever they throw at me right back at 'em!"

Marx was stunned at what he just saw.

"Kirby..." he started, "...how... how did you do that...?"

Kirby put his hand stub to his chin and thought for a moment.

"To be quite honest, I don't know. You see, while I was out here one day, I was attacked by a couple of Bronto Burts, and was almost done for. I opened my mouth to scream for help, and it just sort of happened."

"Did you tell anyone about it?"

"Well, I did mention it to the Elder, but he didn't seem like he believed me. In any case, since you're already here, why don't you join me? Today I'm going to explore a cave that I found on the outskirts of Whispy Woods."

"W-what, but Whispy Woods is too dangerous to enter! We could be eaten by a wild animal, o-or get blown up by a Poppy Bros. gomb, or even worse..."

"Marx, I said that it was on the 'outskirts' of Whispy Woods, as in not actually IN the woods, but near it..."

"Well, I guess when you put it that way..."

"Great, then it's decided!"

Kirby grabbed onto Marx's bowtie and began to pull him along. Marx started to try and pull away, arguing that he had changed his mind, but Kirby made sue that he stayed with him.

However, they didn't know of the events that were transpiring at home...

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On a cliff side near Popopo Village, a lone Sir Kibble looked over the peaceful village with still, near statue-esque silence. As he watched, a lone Waddle Doo soldier marched up to him.

"What news do you bring?" said Sir Kibble in a stern voice.

"Sir," the Waddle Doo said as it stood to attention, "as his highness said, they have no defense against attack. We have set up our forces around the entire village, and are ready to strike on your command."

"Excellent; tell all squad commanders to prepare for attack..."

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"Uh, Kirby, are you sure about this?"

Marx held tight onto the rope that kept him from falling down the deep, dark pit to his doom. The duo of friends had just reached the cave that Kirby had found. The entrance to the cave was a long shaft down, and Kirby had somehow talked Marx into going down first.

"Not to worry Marx," Kirby called down, "I've got a firm hold on this rope. If you do fall, it won't be of any error of mine!"

"That's not very reassuring..." Marx worried. Kirby could say one thing about him, and that was the fact that Marx was never very brave. After a few moments Marx finally reached the bottom.

"Okay Kirby, I'm at the bottom: you can come on down now!"

Kirby nodded, even though he knew that Marx couldn't see it, and tied off the rope to a nearby stone. He grabbed the backpack and his helmet, put them on, and then just jumped down into the hole. As soon as he did though, his body puffed up and he started to float down gently like a balloon; this was an ability that all Popopo could do, although Kirby could do it for much longer than others, and could even use it to fly short distances.

As Kirby landed next to Marx, he noticed that the Marxian was giving him a 'why didn't you do that in the first place' look. Kirby just gave an apologetic smile and pulled out a lantern from his backpack, as well as an extra safari hat for Marx to protect his head. The two walked forward in the pitch black cave before coming upon a dead end.

"Dang," Kirby said discouraged, "Looks like this is as far as the tunnel goes."

"Good," Marx said happily, "then that means we can get the heck out of here."

Just as Marx turned to go back the way he came, something caught his eye.

"Huh, what's that?"

"What's what?" Kirby asked.

"Shine the lantern over here!"

Kirby did so, and upon doing it, the duo found a stone with some strange inscriptions on it.

"Wow," Kirby said in an unimpressed voice, "a rock with squiggles on it; big deal..."

"These 'squiggles', as you call them, are ancient Popo pictograms."

"Uh, Popo...?"

Marx would have done a face-palm if he had hands.

"Don't you ever pay attention in history class? The Popo race is the ancient ancestors of the Popopo. They were known throughout the ancient world as renowned warriors skilled in the ancient martial arts. They were also very knowledgeable, and were thought to be able to see into the future."

"Well then, Mr. Professor, can you read what's on that stone?"

"Well, I think that I can. Give me a few moments."

Kirby sat down next to a large stone on the ground and pulled a Pep Brew out from his bag. He watched as Marx said things in an unknown language to himself as he checked a few things in a book that he had brought with him. Kirby took a big swig of the Pep Brew and watched as Marx translated the script on the stone.

Just as Kirby finished off his drink, Marx stood up and turned to him.

"Kirby," he said, "this is a warning totem..."

"A warning...?"

"It says: Beware the wrath of Nightmare, realm of evil and destruction. It rides the waves of Dream to taint those pure of heart, and consume all in darkness."

"Wow, that sounds bad. Let's hope that this 'Nightmare' thing doesn't show up any time soon..."

"There's more: If the gates to Nightmare should open, creatures of evil will spread across the cosmos, and all will be shrouded in darkness forever. To stop the beasts, find the 5 Sparkling Stars. They will choose a hero, and give him the power of Copy to stop this fate from befalling the universe."

"Wait, doesn't the Popopo elder have a Sparkling Star? Maybe we should investigate further..."

"Kirby, I don't think that we have to worry. If you would think back, you would remember that the Galaxy Soldier Army defeated the creatures of Nightmare long ago. In any case, it's starting to get late. We should head on home before the sun sets..."

Kirby nodded, and packed up all of his stuff. He picked back up the lantern and started to lead the way back to the entrance. Just as they reached the rope, however, an explosion could be heard from above, and the ground underneath them shook violently.

"Whoa," Kirby exclaimed, "what was that?!"

"I don't know," said Marx, "but I don't plan to find out anytime soon: let's get out of here!"

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Kirby and Marx quickly ran down the road back to the village, not daring to look back for fear of whatever it was that caused that explosion. They were tired, hungry, and just wanted to get home, but they were not prepared for what they would find.

"Come on, Marx," Kirby called to his friend, "the village is just over this hill."

"I... _huff_... I-I'm not in as... _puff_ ...as in s-shape as... as you are, Kirby." Marx wheezed.

"Don't worry; we'll be able to rest once we get..."

Kirby stopped dead in his tracks at the top of the hill, his jaw (if he has one) dropping to the ground.

"Kirby, what's the matter?" Marx inquired. He didn't have to wait long to get his answer as when he reached the top his jaw dropped to the ground when he saw what Kirby stopped at...

...all of Popopo village was in ruin.

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Kirby and Marx walked through the wreckage of the now destroyed village in hopes of finding anyone who can explain to them what happened. Kirby jumped up on what was left of a pillar near the center of town and looked all around.

"Hello," he called, "is anyone here?!"

"Kirby," Marx called to him, "come on down from there. There's obviously no one left here. Either everyone evacuated, or they were..."

Marx stopped in mid sentence and started to cry a bit. He couldn't finish his statement because it was too painful for him to say it. Kirby quickly hopped down and patted his friend on the back.

"I know, Marx. I guess that I was hoping that someone made it out safely."

"You may just get your wish..." said a muffled voice from somewhere close by.

Both Kirby and Marx both shot straight up when they heard the voice. The two looked around to see who had said that, but they saw no one.

"We're down here!!!"

Both Kirby and Marx quickly jumped away from where they were standing. They watched as the rubble that they were standing upon started to fall away from the center as a trap door opened up. When the dust settled, an old Popopo could be seen coming out. He looked like an elderly red version of Kirby, though he actually had arms and hands. In his left hand he held a large wooden staff, and he had a beard that seemed to drag the ground.

"Elder!" Kirby exclaimed in joy, "You're alright!"

"Indeed I am," said the elder in a sort of scratchy voice, "but for how long, I am unsure, as I am unsure as to how everyone else will be able to hold out for…"

"What do you mean, Elder?" asked Marx.

"Questions are not for now; help me get everyone out of the shelter."

Kirby and Marx did as they were told, and helped the elder direct everyone out of the underground shelter and direct them to a safe meeting place in the center of the villages' ruins.

"So just what happened?" asked Marx, "Who would want to do something so horrible to us when we had done nothing to warrant this attack?"

"Yeah," Kirby added, "we never did anything to anyone, so who'd want to hurt us by having people attack our village?"

"It was horrible," began the Elder, "we were beginning the harvesting of our crops for the Popopo harvest festival when we were attacked by an army of Waddle Dees and Waddle Doos. They ravaged our land, stole our crops, and tried to take our most precious belongings; the 5 Sparkling Stars. They got away with our food, as well as one of the stars, but I managed to scatter the other 4 so that they wouldn't be able to get their hands on them. However, without the stars, I fear that our way of life will soon die…"

"But who would be so cruel as to have an army steal all of our food, or the stars?" inquired Marx.

"I fear that this may be the work of someone of great power and influence. We know next to nothing of the beings outside of this village, so a great many dangers may wait. However, I remember one of the soldiers say something about… Dedede, I think…"

"Wait," said Kirby, "did you say Dedede?"

"Why, yes I did."

"Why did you ask," Marx inquired, "do you know something that we don't?"

"Well, on one of my walks outside the village, I came across a small, abandoned hut near the edge of Whispy Woods. When I went inside, I found several maps that showed the terrain from the other side of the forest. One of the landmarks on the map was labeled 'Mt. Dedede'. Maybe that's where they all came from?"

"What are you implying, young one?" the elder asked with a stern, yet concerned voice, "You are not honestly thinking of going to find the 5 stars, are you?"

"I'm the only one in the village with enough knowledge of the surrounding terrain to make the trip, as well as the only one with any prior training in combat. Face it: I'm the only one who can save us!"

The Popopo Elder just stared at Kirby in amazement; never before had he seen such selflessness of heart in any Dreamlander. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He did realize that Kirby did possess unique skills that only he had, and was sure that he could handle whatever the planet could throw at him, but something still made him worry about the young boy. He wasn't sure what it was, but something just told him that if Kirby left on this journey, he may never be the same again…

"Kirby," the Elder finally spoke, "you are a strong and brave soul. Ever since your parents left you in my care, I have tried hard to protect you from dangers. It seems as though I've now broken my promise…"

"Elder, I…"

"There is no need to speak young one. I have taught you all that I can, and have protected you as much as I possibly could, but now it is time for you to go out on your own and find your own life. Kirby, you were destined for great things since the day of your birth, and now it is time to prove that true. But before you go, I have a present for you…"

The elder then reached behind his back and pulled out 2 small charms. The first was shaped like a star with a smaller one circling it, and the other was in the shape of the phrase '1up'.

"The star charm will allow you to sense where the 5 sparkling stars are located, allowing you to easily find them. The other is a special good luck charm that will protect you from very grievous wounds. However, it only works once, so be careful."

Kirby took the charms from the Elder. "Thank you. And I promise that I will get our food and Sparkling Stars back!"

"Yes, I'm certain you will. However, it is getting very late, and you must be tired from your exciting day of exploration. Rest here for tonight, to regain your strength, and start your journey tomorrow…"

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We now go far away from the Popopo Village ruins, to another portion of Dreamland entirely. A large mountain looms ominously over the plains below, and at the top sits a large castle. Inside the castle, in a large dining hall, we find a large creature sitting at long table, eating food from a wide selection that spans the entire length of it.

He appeared to be a large, blue, overweight, penguin-like creature. He wore a red, regal-looking robe, a waist band with a red and yellow triangular pattern on it, a pair of yellow mittens and shoes, and a red cap with a white puff on top and a gold band around the opening. This was King Dedede; the self-declared ruler of Dreamland.

Several Waddle Dees wearing chef hats were quickly scurrying about the hall, removing empty plates and replacing them with succulent gourmet dishes as Dedede stuffed his face.

"Nya ha haaa," Dedede laughed, "This food is so delicious, and the fact that it's all stolen from the many villages of Dreamland makes them taste all the better; I just love being a tyrant!"

As Dedede continued to stuff his face, the large door across the room from him opened, and in came another strange creature. This one was a large, anthropomorphic snail with no legs or feet: This was Dr. Escargoon, Dedede's loyal advisor

Escargoon slowly walked… err, slid up to where Dedede sat, and watched as he quickly scarffed down a large turkey leg, and washed it down with a large goblet of Pep Brew.

"Ah, Escargoon," said Dedede as he finally noticed the presence of his trusted advisor, "I was just wondering where you were. Sit down and join me for a nice stolen meal."

"Your majesty," the snail spoke, "I'm not here to gorge myself; I have come with some news regarding the Sparkling Stars."

"Always business with you, isn't it? Why don't you forget about work for now and just relax? I mean, you said it yourself: Popopo village doesn't have any form of protection against a full scale attack, so the 5 stars will be easy to take."

"But that's just it, sire: we only managed to get one of the stars; the others were scattered across Dreamland!"

Upon hearing this, Dedede choked on the turkey leg that he had stuffed in his mouth. Once he spit it out, he glared angrily at his advisor and threateningly pulled out his large wooden mallet.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'VE BEEN SCATTERED?!?!?!?!?" the greedy King yelled furiously, "START EXPLAINING!!!"

Escargoon cowered in a corner, in desperate fear for his life. He knew that when Dedede got upset, people got hurt; and in this case it was going to be him.

"AHH, y-your highness, please calm down. When we got the first, the Popopo elder activated the other 4 stars and scattered them; it's not my fault!"

King Dedede calmed down a bit: not enough to put away his hammer, but just enough to let Escargoon finish his explanation.

"We've been able to locate 3 of the 4 remaining stars so far. They are in Whispy Woods, Castle Lololo, and Float Islands respectively. As far as the final star is concerned, though, we believe that it may have landed somewhere in the Bubbly Clouds, but we haven't been able to locate it yet…"

Dedede finally managed to calm down just enough for him to put his hammer up, but you could still see that his anger was as strong as ever. He walked up to Escargoon slowly, grabbed him by his neck (causing poor Escargoon to choke a bit), and pulled him up to his face.

"You're lucky that we AT LEAST know their general location." Dedede said in a low, angry voice, "I'm going to go and get us some more help so that we can round up the stars, but you had better make sure that you don't screw up again."

Escargoon still couldn't talk, due to the fact that he was still being choked by the King's death grip, but he managed to nod a fearful yes. Dedede then let go, letting the snail drop to the ground. He gasped for air as Dedede left the dining hall, going to enlist the so-called 'help'…

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**Matt: …And there you have it! I actually think that I did halfway decently on this one, which is actually kind of new to me as I usually think that all the chapters that I write for my stories suck. In any case, the next chapter won't be up until the next chapter of Knuckles Quest is done, which SHOULD be sometime soon (very heavy emphasis on 'should', as I tend to get really lazy).**

**Disclaimer: Kirby, King Dedede, Marx, Escargoon (I think) and all other related characters, places and themes are © Nintendo™ and HAL Laboratory™. The Popopo Elder, the term 'Popo', and anything else that doesn't exist in the games or anime (or other form of Kirby-based media) belong to me, Slam422.**

**Matt: Until next time, everyone: later days!**


	2. Calling for Backup

**Matt: Hey there everyone! Sorry if this chapter is shorter than what I usually write, but I just wanted to have a small interlude chapter before I start on the actual story.**

**(And before I forget: the poll for my 100****th**** DeviantART submission is still open on my author page here on I would appreciate it if you all could vote, as I haven't gotten many people to give their input yet…)**

**As always, the Disclaimer is at the bottom of the chapter. Now let's get this thing started!**

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Chapter 2: Getting Some Backup  
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The dark halls of Castle Dedede were quiet and eerie. Not much ever went on inside the castle to cause a commotion other than a few Waddle Dees and Doos walking around. In fact, since the invasion of Dreamland began, there wasn't a single soul that ever traversed these halls in an extreme rush. That is, until Dedede had heard some unsettling news.

"Your majesty," Escargoon called while trying desperately hard to keep up with his employer and ruler, "please wait for me!"

Dedede didn't even bother to slow, he was already angry enough at the incompetence of his soldiers for losing 4 of the stars. His plans had been going so smoothly since the conquest began, and he could not have been happier. But then this happens; a snag that could cause his plans to completely fall apart in his hands, and cause him to loose everything that he had established so far.

No, he wasn't going to let that happen. He worked too hard to establish his reign over ALL of Dreamland (and when I say that, I mean that he just sat behind the sidelines and watched his minions do all the hard work), and he wasn't about to loose it all now. All he had to do was call for a little 'backup'.

Dedede quickly made a sharp right turn into a pair of large, golden doors with his face on it. He burst through them, but looked back to see Escargoon trying his hardest to keep up with him.

"Hurry up, slowpoke," Dedede spat, "we gotta get those stars back!"

Dedede went back into the room as Escargoon finally managed to get into the room with him. The room was actually King Dedede's throne room, though it really didn't look like one. The room was constructed of yellow bricks that were pretty much plain looking. The walls on the left and right had archways that went from the door to about the 3/4th portion of the room, and behind them were just small alcoves that were unlit and had pretty much no use. The floor was made of the same yellow bricks that made up the walls, with a 3 step rise starting at the 3/4th portion of the room just as the archways ended. The ceiling above the rise was rounded out in a semi circle shape with red shutters on either side. A long, red carpet was rolled out along the floor in the center that led up the stairs and all the way to the back wall. Finally was Dedede's throne. It was a golden, plain looking chair with red cushioning. It didn't have legs, instead being propped up on a rounded gold base that connected to a steel rod that was stuck in an opening in the ground. Each of the arms of the chairs had several buttons on them, and the back of the chair had Dedede's signature on it, which was a picture of him giving a piece sign.

Dedede quickly made his way to his seat, pressing a button that swiveled it to the right and tilted back so that he was in a lounging position. As Escargoon finally reached the top of the stairs, he collapsed next to Dedede's throne.

Dedede pressed a large square button on the right arm of the chair, which activated the shutter on the ceiling. The shutter opened to reveal a large, plasma screen monitor that was connected to 2 mechanical arms on either side. The arms swung the monitor out of the wall, and Dedede activated it with a simple push of a button.

Once activated, the monitor immediately brought up the image of a sleazy looking, purplish-skinned human wearing a pale purple suit, sunglasses, and had his hair parted in the middle and combed over either side on top of his flat head. Behind him was a rather creepy-looking background that had the words "Holy Nightmare Co." on the top in white text that faded inward into a dull purple color.

"Welcome to Holy Nightmare Corporation's Online Nightmare Ordering Service." The sleazy man said, "My name is Customer Service, and I'll be your salesman for today. How can I help you Triple-D?"

"Yeah, ya know about the Sparkling Stars that I promised to pay you in return for the World Conquering Kit that you sent me?"

"Of course I do, Big D; I'm the one who sold you the kit in the first place. If you have the payment, you can send it via the Nightmare Delivery System that we've set up."

"Yeah, y'see I would if I could, but those bungling soldiers that you sent with the kit screwed up! They got the first star no problem, but then the Popopo elder did some of that mumbo-jumbo stuff and scattered the other 4 stars across Dreamland."

"Oh my, that's too bad…"

Customer Service pulled out what looked like an abacus with a digital readout device on top, and began to use it to make some calculations on it.

"…I'm very sorry for the faulty merchandise that I sent, but you did order the cheapo version of the kit, so I'm not surprised. And I fear that with only one of the Sparkling Stars, you will still need to pay off quite a substantial fee. I estimate…"

He then revealed the readout to Dedede and Escargoon, causing their jaws to almost hit the ground when they saw it.

"…that about 100,000,000,000 Deden will be able to pay it off."

"ARE YA CRAZY?! You know I ain't got that kinda dough on me!"

"Yes, Dreamland is a fairly poor country. But without the other 4 stars I'm afraid that you'll have to either pay the full price, or send the kit back when your trial runs out in a week…"

"I ain't paying that ridiculous price, and I ain't gonna give up the kit!"

"Then it seems as though we have a problem. If you can't get me the Stars by the time the trial period ends, it's either pay up or give up; there's no in-between."

"If I may," Escargoon interrupted, finally managing to regain his composure, "it's not that we can't get the stars, it's just that were a little short-handed at the moment."

"Is that so…" queried Customer Service.

Escargoon took a clipboard out from behind his back, and looked over a couple of papers that were clipped onto it.

"According to the reports that we were given, the stars were reported scattering to 4 of the major areas of Dreamland: these areas are Whispy Woods, Castle Lololo, Float Islands, and Bubbly Clouds respectively. The stars in Whispy Woods and Castle Lololo are no problem, but we've yet to begin our conquest of Float Islands and Bubbly Clouds yet because we are short of hand right now…"

"…and I was wondering if you could send us a few more soldiers to retrieve the other 2 stars?" Dedede finished.

"I'm sorry Big D," Customer Service apologized, "But I can't send you any more soldiers at this moment. However, I can sell you some new Nightmare Monsters that we've been working on. Of course, there is a small fee that you will need to pay..."

"And just how much is a 'small fee'?" asked Dedede. Customer Service then got his abacus back out and started to do some more calculations.

"Well, as I had mentioned, we here at Holy Nightmare Co. have recently completed work on two new Nightmare Monsters. These monsters are top of the line material that any Nightmare collector would be grateful to own, but unfortunately they haven't received the required amount of field test results that we need to determine if they are ready for the open market. If you agree to buy them for this mission, and the results are successful, then they will be ready for mass production. And all of this will only cost you…"

The sleazy salesman showed his readout to the 2 villains.

"…about 10,000 Deden for each one, bringing it to a total of 20,000 Deden all together. Is it a deal?"

"Hmm, I dunno…"

"Then how about this: I'll put the money down as a deposit for a temporary loan that will last until your World Domination Kit trial expires. When I get the Nightmares back, you get your money back."

"Now that's better; you've got yourself a deal!"

"Are you sure about this your majesty?" Escargoon interjected, "I mean, if anything happens to these Nightmares then not only will we loose our deposit, but we'll have to pay full price for them both. And considering that they are new Nightmares, they might cost quite the pretty penny…

"Don't worry so much, Escargoon. It's not like someone is going to take on 2 of H.N.C's top-of-the-line Nightmares by themselves; that'd be just plain crazy!"

"I'll have to agree with Big D on this one," Customer Service added, "These Nightmares are some of the most powerful ones that we have ever developed. The chance of anyone standing up to one is very slim, and the chance of that person winning is astronomical."

Escargoon was slightly skeptical about this one. Sure, he realized that what the two were saying was more than true, but something bugged him. He felt as though this may cost them more than just money…

"Alright," Escargoon said, "I know when I'm beat: I'll go get the money."

Dedede and Customer Service watched as Escargoon slithered over to the left-hand alcove. When he was there, he pushed in a brick that activated a mechanism that caused the wall to drop away, revealing a large safe with Dedede's insignia on it. The snail then placed his hand on a pad in the door, allowing the safe to scan his hand print. When the safe finally opened, Escargoon grabbed 2 large bags of Deden from it and dragged them over, making sure to shut the safe first.

Dedede then pressed a couple of buttons on his chair, and the room dimmed. The floor in the front seemed to separate in to, leaving a large, circular hole in the floor. Through this hole, a large machine started to rise up into view. It was a metallic blue platform that had many lights and electronic devices flashing and whirring. In front of it, 2 more holes opened up on either side, and large energy pylons rose from them. Their design matched that of the platform, with the same colors and everything. Finally, a large dome shaped structure came down from out of the ceiling. The center of the underside of this dome had a strange satellite dish that unfolded from it and stopped several feet over the base. A second monitor also came out of the wall opposite the first, this one showing many complicated calculations.

Escargoon threw both bags of Deden onto the pad, and Dedede pressed a button on his throne.

"Nightmare Delivery System, activate!" Dedede declared in a sort of dramatic fashion. Electrical energy soon started to course through the energy pylons as the platform began to glow with an orange light. A beam of energy shot down from the top of the machine and hit the bags, creating an energy vortex that transformed the money into data and downloaded it into the mainframe. Once the money had been downloaded, the machine deactivated, and the lights in the room brightened.

"We've just received your deposit," Customer Service said with an evil grin, "and we're sending the first of your Nightmares now…"

Dedede nodded and pressed the button to activate the machine again. The lights dimmed and the machine sparked to life, creating a white energy vortex. This time, however, something began to form inside of it: it started out as just a formless black blob, but it soon began to grow and reshape itself. Soon a bright flash of light spread throughout the entire room, temporarily blinding both Dedede and Escargoon, as the Nightmare finally formed.

When the light finally dimmed, Dedede and Escargoon could finally see the monster that had formed. It was about twice Dedede's size, and its body was like that of a blimp; in fact that's exactly what it was. The blimp had a Shotzo cannon on its underside, and 2 purple 'eyes', one on each side. Finally, there was a small propeller on the back end, more than likely its propulsion system, and a yellow circle on the front of the blimp's large balloon. Overall it wasn't very intimidating, but it was big.

"Meet the first of our new Mecha Nightmare line: Kaboola." Customer Service said with an evil grin. "Kaboola is able to fly up to 200 miles per hour, and is able to attack using the special multi-burst Shotzo on her underside. She can also use her special radar eyes to lock onto any opponent and keep them in her sights. And the best part is that she never misses a shot."

"Impressive," Escargoon thought out loud, "but it doesn't look very intimidating."

"It doesn't matter to me," Dedede said, cocky as ever, "as long as it gets the job done! Kaboola, you'll search for the Sparkling Star in Float Islands: now get going!"

"_Voice command identification not recognized,"_ Kaboola said in a mechanized female voice as it targeted both Escargoon and Dedede, _"targets recognized as enemies: Preparing to attack..."_

"AH, NO, WAIT, STOOOP!!!!" Escargoon yelled as he fell to the ground in cowardice.

"CUSTOMER SERVICE, CALL IT OFF QUICKLY!!!!!" Dedede yelled in fear as he ducked behind his throne.

"Oops," said Customer Service lightly as he pointed in the air in a matter-of-factly fashion, "sorry, I completely forgot that Kaboola will only take orders from you if I tell her to. Kaboola, disengage your attack: the two in front of you are your commanding officers for the next week, and I would appreciate it if you didn't destroy them."

"_Voice command recognized: disengaging the enemy. Awaiting new orders..."_

Dedede carefully peaked out from behind his throne, shaking like a leaf in the wind, to see if the monster had stopped its attack. Indeed, the mechanical creature stopped its movements and just floated there. However, Dedede was still unsure and remained where he was.

"Uh," Dedede started to command with uncertainty, "I order you to find the Sparkling Star in Float Islands…"

"_Voice command acknowledged: accessing Dreamland geographical charts..._

_Location: Float Islands confirmed..._

_Departing immediately..."_

And with that, Kaboola turned away and flew through the large doors, flying off to Float Islands to find the Sparkling Star located there.

As soon as Kaboola left, Dedede quickly regained his composure and got back in his throne. Escargoon, however, decided he would get behind the throne to be on the safe side.

"That was nuts!" Escargoon said, trying his hardest to get himself to calm down.

"I'll say," Dedede agreed as he wiped sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, "the next one better be a bit friendlier..."

"I assure you Triple-D that the next Nightmare isn't as serious as Kaboola is." Customer Service assured, "but its power is just as impressive. We're ready for download on this end, so whenever you're ready…"

Dedede nodded and pressed the download button again. The lights dimmed as the machine started to whir to life. Energy started to build up and the vortex opened again, this time sparking with even more energy than before. The same black formless blob started to form inside of the vortex, slowly morphing and contorting into the shape of a large circle with 4 smaller circles surrounding. A bright flash of light filled the room, and the transfer was complete.

This monster was extremely different from the last: its entire body was just a single eyeball floating in the air that was surrounded by 4 spheres that looked to be made of some kind of cloud-like puffs. Its size wasn't very impressive either, as it was only about as big as Dedede.

"This one doesn't look very tough," Escargoon stated, "Are you sure that this is one of your strongest?"

"Believe me when I say that this monster is more than meets the eye," said Customer Service with a very confident voice, "This is Kracko Jr., one of our most powerful Nightmares. Sure, he's not much to look at, but he can launch many powerful explosives from his eye, as well as fuse his body with the clouds around him. And once he matures into his adult form, then he also gains the ability to use electrical attacks, as well as summon storms that are so powerful that they can, quite literally, tear mountains apart."

Escargoon was now panicking a little from that description, making sure that he was completely hidden behind the throne in hopes that the monster wouldn't see and attack him.

"Now THAT sounds like my kind of monster!" Dedede exclaimed enthusiastically, "And since the last star is in Bubbly Clouds, this is the PERFECT monster to send! All right Kracko Jr., you know what to do…"

Kracko Jr. bobbed up and down in a 'yes' motion, it's puffs spinning around him in excitement. The monster eye turned to the door and quickly flew away, ready to head into the sky it so loved to stay in. As soon as the monster left, Escargoon finally came out from hiding with a large sigh as the Nightmare Delivery System sank back into the floor.

"I guarantee that Kaboola and Kracko Jr. will complete their assignments with ease, Big D." said Customer Service with pride.

"I can agree with you 100 on that one," Dedede cockily replied, "and besides, who would be dumb enough to face a couple of Nightmares like them?"

At this, Dedede and Escargoon both broke out in evil laughter of assumed victory. However, in their fit of laughter and joy they did not notice someone hiding in the shadows, keeping his glowing yellow eyes on every detail.

_Dedede you fool,_ the mystery person thought, _you've no idea what devastation you have unleashed on Pop Star..._

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**Matt: And so completes the second chapter of Kirby: Beginnings. So, how did I do? I think that maybe I could have done a little better, but I still think I did a decent job…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any character, place or theme in this story. It's all © to Nintendo™ and Hal Laboratory™. The novelization of this story, however, is all me!**

**Matt: Next chapter starts Kirby's adventure into Dreamland to recover the Sparkling Stars. What dangers may await him in the world outside of Green Greens? Only time will tell…**


	3. Heading Out

**Matt: Hey there everyone! Another new chapter has been completed, and in such a short time, too… I was originally going to have this chapter be a part of the last, but I decided to split the Dedede part and the actual adventure part in two so that I wouldn't have to worry about making the chapter too long. In any case, this chapter starts Kirby's adventure into Dreamland to recover the Sparkling Stars.**

**(And don't forget that the poll for my 100****th**** DeviantART submission is still up, so make sure that you vote on what you want to see…)**

**As always, the Disclaimer is at the bottom, now let's get things started!

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Chapter 3: Heading out  
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The sun rose over the sky, bringing the morning light to Green Greens. Normally the denizens of Popopo village would all still be asleep in their beds at this time, but since the village was destroyed nobody was able to even think about sleeping. All through the night the most able-bodied men of the village worked diligently and tirelessly to start rebuilding the many homes that were destroyed, while the women either did their best to help with the repairs, or stayed in the underground shelter with the children as they slept. The village was already one house less destroyed by daybreak, and several others were close to completion.

As far as keeping the people fed, well, that was all thanks to Kirby. You see, Kirby's house was not actually in the village, but was about a mile outside of its boundaries. As such, the soldiers had missed the tiny, semi-sphere-shaped abode when they attacked. Inside an underground storage space beneath it, Kirby kept a stockpile of Maxim Tomatoes, Pep Brew, and other types of food and drinks to help satisfy his nearly insatiable appetite. The young Dreamlander generously donated his entire stockpile to keep the entire village from starving for some time, which could be up to about 2 weeks if they properly rationed it.

With the coming dawn, everyone was prepared to see Kirby off on his journey; however he was nowhere to be found.

"I'm beginning to worry about Kirby," the Elder told Marx, who was just as worried as he was, "there is a chance that those soldiers might have returned during the night…"

"Ah, I'm sure that Kirby's ok," Marx reassured him (and himself), "he's a tough kid; he'll be able to handle himself…"

"Still, I worry of what may happen to him on this adventure. None of us know just what is outside the boundary of Green Greens, so Kirby may face dangers that he will not know how to handle."

"No one knows more about Green Greens than Kirby, not to mention his new 'inhale' power and training in combat give him a much better chance of surviving out there than any of us. If you want, Elder, I will go to Kirby's house and fetch him for you…"

"Very well, Marx; go and get Kirby. But be very careful on the way…"

Marx nodded and quickly dashed out in the direction of Kirby's house. The walk, despite it being to a location that was a mile outside of the village, was actually very calming. Marx never feared when he went over to Kirby's house, because the two were best friends. He knew that if anything were to happen to him, Kirby would be there to help him out: the puffball just had this knack for showing up just in the nick of time. The friendship that Marx and Kirby shared, however, went much deeper than what most people would assume. Kirby wasn't just Marx's best friend; he was his ONLY friend.

Marx started to think about his past: about how he entered the village a total stranger to everyone when he was just a baby. Everyone was, at the time, afraid of him because of his lack of arms, and he was constantly picked on by the older kids because of it. He remembered how one day, a couple of older kids had tied him to a pillar in the center of town and started to throw rocks at him, calling him names like "limbless freak" and "armless Marx". That was the day that his life took a turn for the better, as Kirby quickly intervened, stopping the bullies from their evil deed and freeing Marx. It was on that day that the two became best friends.

"That day was 3 years ago next week," he said to himself as he began to approach Kirby's home," since then, Kirby has protected me and helped me overcome my fears; yet I've done nothing to return the favor. And now that Kirby is leaving on this new quest, I may never get the chance to do so. Still, it's nice that he's always there for me; I just hope that I can, one day, be able to repay his kindness…"

Marx finally woke from his thoughts as he finally reached Kirby's home. The house was a white, single-room dome that was constructed right next to a tree that seemed to contour around the house as if it was holding onto it. The house's only entrance was single wooden door with a star-shaped doorknob and a round window. To the right and left of the front door were circular windows that each had green curtains hanging on the inside of the house; and there was also a third window in the back. Finally, a chimney stuck out from the right-hand side of the ceiling, spouting with puffs of smoke that turned into the shape of a star before disappearing.

Marx was just about to knock on the door, when he heard a soft snoring noise coming from nearby. He looked over to the tree, and would have slapped himself in the face if he had hands when he saw what he did.

Kirby was snoozing soundly and, one could assume, comfortably in a birds nest that was placed in an opening in the tree that was just over the point where the tree first spit into its branches. Kirby had a small bit of drool dripping from the side of his mouth, and was cooing as happily as a newborn baby. Marx figured that it was because he was dreaming of cake, or some other sweet treat.

"Kirby," he called, "wake up! Did you forget that you're not a bird again?"

Kirby quickly shot up, startled by the loud wake up call, but instantly drooped down in exhaust. He looked around to try and find the source of the voice, and saw Marx standing at the bottom of the tree.

"Don't tell me," Marx said casually, "let me guess: Tokkori kicked you out of your house again...?"

"Yeah," Kirby said as he climbed down from the tree, "but I don't blame him. After all: who'd want to sleep in an uncomfortable nest when there is a bed with your name on it?"

"You should really spring for a lock, ya know."

"I did; the problem is that beak of his gives him a natural pick! But, to be quite honest, I really don't mind…" Kirby then looked up to the nest that he was sleeping in, "…that nest is actually pretty comfortable."

"Well, should we wake up old Mr. Grumpy Bird?"

Kirby shook his head, "Let him sleep. In any case, we've got to get to the village."

Marx nodded, and the two were quickly on their way. The walk started out kind of quiet, as the two just looked around at the scenery, but soon Marx decided to break the silence.

"So, do you remember the day we first met?"

"Huh, what makes you bring that up?"

"As I was coming to get you, I started to think back on all the excitement that you dragged me into in the past. And I just sort of remembered that day that you stopped those bullies."

"Oh yeah, I remember that! They were all like 'OMG M4rx u r leik teh sux0r! W3 r teh l33t s0 w3 r thr0w1ng r0x0rz at u!' and then you were like 'n0 u r n0t teh l33t d0nt thr0w r0x0rz 4t me!' and then I came in and was all 'l34v3 him 4l0n3 0r I pwn you!', and then they were like '0h n0 w3 h4v3 b33n pwned!' and then you were like 'th4nk y0u l3ts b3 fri3nds' and I said 'k' and we became friends: It was awesome!"

Marx gave Kirby a 'what the heck was that' look before he actually managed to ask…

"Kirby, I'm really afraid to ask, but is that REALLY how that day plays out in your head?"

"More or less…"

"…and why doesn't that answer surprise me?"

Marx, of course, was only joking. You see: Kirby had a much simpler way of thinking than Marx did, or anyone for that matter. He always seemed to see the simpler, happier side of everything, and Marx figured that was how he was always able to triumph over insurmountable odds. He wished so much to be able to be like that, to have a strong heart and never have to worry about anything in his life anymore.

"Kirby," he said, "the adventure that has been laid ahead of you is unlike anything you've ever faced before. Aren't you frightened at the thought that you may fail, and that you may not live through this?"

"Of course I am," he replied, "I mean; who WOULDN'T be?"

"Then why take the risk?"

"Because I'm frightened even more by the fact that if I don't go, then our people, our very way of life, will all die out. You see, when those you care about are at stake, you don't think about what the consequences of your actions will do, you just follow what your heart tells you to do. There is no choice; no alternate option other than to take life by the horns and hold on for dear life until you are able to come out on top."

This single, almost philosophical quote caught Marx totally off guard.

"Wow," he said in amazement, "that's actually very deep. I didn't think you had it in you."

"It's something that the elder taught me a long time ago. He'd always say that I was destined to do great things, but I never really understood just WHAT was so special about me."

"Maybe it has something to do with that inhale power you gained?"

"Maybe; but for now I guess I'll just take it in stride and see where my path leads me."

Just as Kirby finished his sentence, the two finally arrived in the village square. A couple of homes were finally completed, and everyone was waiting in the square for them. A couple of the younger Popopo children were holding up a banner that had the sentence "Good Luck, Kirby!" written on it whilst cheering Kirby on, while the adults and older children just stood there and watched the puffball approach. The Elder then stepped forward and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Kirby," he said, "today begins your journey out into the world. The Sparkling Stars are located somewhere out there, and only you can find them. I have the utmost confidence in your success, and yet; I cannot find the words needed to express my sorrow."

"What do you mean, Elder?" Kirby asked.

"Kirby, on your parent's deathbed I promised to keep you safe and protect you to the best of my abilities. And now that you are leaving us, I cannot help but worry that you may not return…

"Hey," Kirby said in a playful tone, "come on: give me a little credit. I promise that I'll be back with all 5 stars in tow, you'll see!"

"Kirby, you must take this seriously! If you fail, then…"

"I know, I know: 'the Popopo way of life will be lost forever'. I know what's at stake, and I don't plan on taking our enemies lightly."

The Elder was shocked: Kirby had, just then, shown more maturity than he had been giving him credit for.

_Kirby,_ he thought,_ I did not realize that he was so determined._

"Listen, I know that I haven't exactly been the best-behaved person in the world; but I'm more mature than you give me credit for."

"...Yes, I understand that now. Kirby, there is nothing left for me to teach you; now you must journey forth and recover the stars before it's too late. We all wish you the best of luck…"

"Thank you, Elder; and thank you all."

----------------------------------------

Kirby had only been away from the village for about 5 minutes, yet he still couldn't believe how much he was starting to miss home. He looked back every so often, seeing the village getting smaller and smaller on the horizon, and started to worry about what might happen in his absence.

_No,_ Kirby thought, shaking his head to get the thoughts out of his mind, _there's no way that I'm backing down now! The stars are the most important concern that I should worry about right now, and I can't back down just because I have some other minor worries._

Still, Kirby couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. As he turned back to see the village in the distance, he thought he saw something quickly move behind a nearby star block. Kirby jumped for a second in surprise, but quickly put it aside in his mind as a mild case of homesick paranoia. As Kirby started walking again, he heard the rustling of leaves behind him. He quickly turned to see what caused it, but only saw a few leaves fall off of a nearby bush.

Kirby was starting to get suspicious, and turned away to start walking again. He got to a point just passed another star block next to the path, when he heard quick, yet soft footsteps behind him. Kirby quickly turned around to try to catch whatever was following him off guard, but once again found nothing. Kirby was now confused as anything, until he saw something sticking out from behind one of the nearby star blocks…

…it was the puff on the tip of Marx's cap.

Kirby couldn't help but let out a sigh of both relief and disbelief. He stood there, waiting for Marx to show himself (as it was more than obvious that he was caught), but when he didn't come out, Kirby finally spoke up.

"Marx?" Kirby said in a serious, yet playful voice.

"Yes Kirby?" Marx replied without revealing himself, mimicking Kirby's tone.

"Why are you following me?"

"I'm not following you."

"Then how come we're talking to each other?"

"I'm using telepathy…"

"Telepathy…?"

"Yes, telepathy…"

"Then how come I can see your cap from behind that star block?"

"No you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"No you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"Prove it."

Kirby let out an exasperated sigh; he knew that Marx wasn't going to cooperate with him, so he decided to put a little scare on him.

"Alright," Kirby said as he took a couple of steps backwards, "but just remember: you asked for it!"

Kirby shuffled his feet a little bit before finally opening his mouth and inhaling the air around him. A vortex of wind started to swirl out from his mouth as it latched onto the star block, causing it to break into the form of a star and get sucked into Kirby's mouth.

"Aw crud…" Marx said dejectedly as he watched Kirby swallow the star he just sucked up.

"Marx, what are you doing here?!" Kirby scolded his friend, which was actually a swap in the usual routine between them.

"Well, I couldn't just let you go off on your own to risk your life," Marx said in a matter-of-factly tone, "so I decided to accompany you and give you some help."

"Marx, it's too dangerous: you could get seriously hurt or even worse…"

"I recall someone telling me that when those you care about are at stake, you don't think about what the consequences of your actions will do, you just…"

"…follow what your heart tells you to do… sigh, alright, I know when I'm beaten. You may accompany me, but stay safe, alright? If any enemies attack, duck into a safe place and let me take care of it."

"No problem!"

And so the two were off on their adventure together…

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**Matt: And so Kirby and Marx begin their adventure to recover the 5 Sparkling Stars.**

**Just to let you all know, my decision to include Marx as a partner for Kirby's journey was not one made at the last second (although it may appear as such). I wanted to expand upon Marx's relation to Kirby as more than just a friend; with them having a brotherly bond of sorts…**

**Disclaimer: Kirby, Marx, and all related characters, places, themes and the original story are all © to Nintendo™ and Hal Laboratory™. The Popopo Elder and this novelization are property of me, Matt (AKA Slam422).**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Kirby and Marx begin their quest by first crossing Green Greens. However, many strange creatures are trying to stop them from getting through. Can our heroes make it to Whispy Woods, or will Poppy Bro. Sr. blast them to smithereens?**

**Matt: Until next time, Later Days!**


	4. Green Greens Part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kirby, Marx, or any other character or themes that appear in this chapter. The original story and the Kirby series are © to Nintendo™ & Hal Laboratory™. This novelization of the original game is by me, Slam422 (also known as MasterofChaos and Sonic21987 in certain areas of the internet).  
**

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Chapter 4: Green Greens Part 1

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And so the adventure had begun. Kirby and Marx were on a mission: a mission to recover the most prized possessions of the Popopo tribe. They were determined to get the stars back, but even heroes have their weaknesses…

"I'm hungry," Kirby whined for the fifth time.

"Well," Marx started, "we weren't able to bring any food, so I guess you're going to have to deal with it until we can find something to snack on…"

"But I'm hungry!"

"Well, too bad. I'm sure that we'll stumble upon something to eat sooner or later, but for now you just need to try thinking about something other than food..."

Kirby pouted in defeat: he knew that Marx was right. Kirby's gluttony had gotten him into trouble several times in the past, and it was known that many of the things he ate weren't very healthy for him. Still, he couldn't help it; ever since he had gained his inhale ability, it was like he couldn't ever satisfy his hunger.

That thought however, brought him into thinking of other things: Why did he have this power, and just what is so important about these stars that someone would send an army out just to get them?

Kirby was snapped out of these thoughts, however, when he heard something.

"No," came a voice from not too far away, "p-please; leave me alone!"

Both Kirby and Marx stopped in their tracks to spy a pair of spear-wielding Waddle Dees harassing a lone, green-garbed Poppy bro.

"You're going to pay for betraying Master Whispy, you traitor" said the first Waddle Dee as he waved his spear in front of the Poppy Bro's face.

"I-I didn't betray him," the Poppy Bro said in an attempt to negotiate, "I just don't trust that Dedede person that he's allied himself with!"

"Did he just say 'Dedede'?" Kirby absentmindedly asked out loud. Kirby almost instantly realized his mistake when all 3 of them looked over to where he and Marx were standing.

"Hey," said the other Waddle Dee, "aren't those villagers from the Popopo tribe that we tried to steal those stars from?"

"Yeah," the other responded, "they are! You're gonna pay for stopping us from getting the stars, you twerps: my ears are STILL ringing from all the yelling that Master Whispy did after he discovered our failure!"

"Uh, technically we weren't even in the village when it happened," Marx chimed in, "we were out exploring. So we aren't the ones responsible for the failure of your crime."

"Regardless of that," Kirby quickly interrupted, "you shouldn't be picking on others weaker than yourself: it's not an honorable thing to do!"

"I don't think you should be talking about honor when you are about to be run through!" yelled one of the Waddle Dee's as he dashed forward with his spear held out. Kirby just simply jumped over the creature, and then quickly turned around and inhaled him. Before the other Waddle Dee could register what had just happened, Kirby then quickly spit out the enemy in the form of a star at him, hitting him dead on.

But then, the weirdest thing happened: both enemies just seemed to pop, and disappeared into nothingness. But Kirby didn't take notice of this because he was too busy helping the young Poppy Bro up.

"Are you okay?" Kirby asked with concern.

"Yes," said the Poppy Bro, "I'm fine; thanks for saving me from them."

"But what happened to them?" Marx inquired, "When Kirby defeated them they popped like they were balloons…"

"It must have been from that strange energy that Master Whispy infected almost all of his subordinates with." The Poppy Bro said in thought.

"Whoa," Kirby interrupted, "ya lost me. Could you just start from the beginning?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Well, Master Whispy is a spiritual being who rules and protects the forest and all who dwell within. He was a kind and gentle soul who would do anything to keep his loyal followers safe."

"And I'm assuming that by saying 'was'," Marx inquired, "you are suggesting that he isn't as kind as he once was?"

"That is correct. One day not too long ago, a weird penguin-looking person, who called himself King Dedede, came and gave Master Whispy some weird energy as a 'peace offering', in hopes that they could become allies. However, the energy warped my Master's mind and made him evil. He then infected every one of his followers with this energy and had all of them swear undying loyalty to that tyrant..."

"That monster," Kirby said in utter disgust, "first the Sparkling Stars, and now THIS?! I can't let this tyranny go on any longer; Marx, let's get going!"

Kirby and Marx began to walk off, but the Poppy Bro instantly spoke up.

"Wait," he said, "its way too dangerous to go in there! Master Whispy has his strongest warriors guarding the woods, making sure that no one can get in…"

Upon hearing this, Marx almost immediately stopped in his tracks and then, in a comical fashion, instantly started marching backwards until he was right next to the Poppy bro.

"Just out of curiosity," Marx began, "how strong are we talking here?"

"No Popopo Dreamlander would ever be able to stand up against them…"

"...And on that note, I'm outta here."

Just before Marx could run off, however, Kirby quickly grabbed a hold of his cap, causing the Marxian to just run in place & kick up dust.

"Oh no," said Kirby, "you wanted to join me on this quest despite the danger, and that's what you're going to do."

"B-but I… I… I left my oven on! Yeah, that's it; I left it on and I have to go back and shut it off…"

"Your house was destroyed in the attack yesterday…"

"Err; I have to go feed my pet Scarfy…"

"You don't have a pet Scarfy…"

"I… I, uh, gotta take a leak?"

"Sorry, it ain't gonna work. Now come on; we've got a world to save!"

Marx continued to protest and scream and kick his way free, but Kirby managed to keep a hold of him and drag him along. As they walked, the Poppy Bro couldn't help but ask…

"Is he always this cowardly?"

"Not really. But then again; he usually doesn't take many risks to begin with…"

--

It didn't take long for them to finally reach the edge of Whispy Woods, but it sure was a bit of a fight. On the way they were ambushed by several Bronto Burts, Waddle Dees, Cappys and wild birds, but Kirby's Inhale ability kept them safe (and Kirby fed…).

"Well," Kirby said triumphantly, "We've finally reached the edge of the woods!"

"Good," Marx said nervously as he looked around, "now let's get the fark out of here before we run into any more monsters!"

"No can do. We promised Poppy that we would help his master. And besides; This Whispy guy has one of the Sparkling Stars."

"How do you even know that?"

Kirby then reached behind him and pulled the Star Charm that the elder gave him out of his hammer space. The charm was pulsating slowly, reacting to something nearby. Kirby then held the charm towards the woods and the pulsing got slightly faster.

"Because this is the way the Star Charm is leading us to…"

"We must be careful when entering the woods," Poppy advised in caution, "as I am sure that Master Whispy has his most elite guarding his location inside the forest."

"Just out of curiosity," asked Marx, "what was your master like before he met that Dedede person?"

"Master Whispy was a very kind-hearted spirit back then. He was very caring and trusting, but also very protective when it came to those who live in his forest. Because of this, however, he would often attack travelers out of fear. I guess that gave him a bit of a bad reputation outside of the forest…"

Marx sweat-dropped a bit "…well, just a bit…"

"Master Whispy may come across as an evil monster to outsiders, but those who are able to get to know him can see that he is truly worthy of praise for his deeds. It's just so sad with what happened to him…"

"Well let's stop talking about it and just go in there!"

Both Marx and Poppy looked at Kirby in surprise.

"If we just stand around here just talking about what happened, then we won't be able to help him."

"But how can we?" asked Poppy.

"I have a feeling that if I'm able to get the Sparkling Star, I can use its power to turn him back to normal: we'd be killing two birds with one stone!"

"**Sorry, but you aren't going to be going anywhere!"**

Kirby shot up as soon as he heard that booming voice above him, and looked up in time to see someone trying to drop on him. He quickly scrambled and managed to move out of the way, but was knocked back by the impact of the large person.

The person standing before them was a giant Poppy Bro wearing a blue outfit. In his left hand was a large, unlit bomb, and the face of the giant bomber was quite crazed in it's appearance.

"**I am Poppy Bro. Senior; leader of the Poppy Bros. Under direct order of Master Whispy himself; no one is allowed to enter Whispy Woods. Those who do will be blown to pieces by my bombs!"**

Before the trio could say anything, Senior threw the bomb he was holding at them. The bomb was magically lit, and it exploded as soon as it hit the ground. The trio quickly scattered to avoid the blast, and Marx and Poppy took cover while Kirby stood his ground.

"Kirby; suck him up!" Marx exclaimed.

Kirby merely nodded, and then began his little feet shuffle before inhaling as hard as he could. The vortex of wind formed around his mouth as he tried his hardest to suck up Senior. However, despite the puffball's best efforts, the giant Poppy Bro didn't even move. He just continued to stand there with that creepy happy face of his. Eventually, Kirby couldn't inhale anymore and slowed to a stop to catch his breath.

"**That was pathetic!"** Senior said in a crazy tone, **"Now I'll blow you to bits!"**

Senior pulled out 2 bombs from his hammer-space and tossed them one at a time at Kirby. The small warrior tried his best to avoid the bombs, but the (apparently) simple-minded Senior just danced around as he tossed more bombs. One of the bombs hit Kirby dead on and blasted him back several feet. Marx and Poppy both gasped in fear when they saw Kirby's body fly back and hit the ground hard, but the little puffball just seemed to bounce on the ground like a ball and land on his feet. He was not allowed a moments reprieve, however, as another bomb came straight toward him. This, of course, threw the Popopo off and made him get hit again.

"**Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa!! You can't hope to outrun my bombs because no one can!"**

_Dang,_ Kirby cursed to himself, _he's right. I can't dodge every bomb that he throws at me because of how fast he can throw them, and I can't suck him up for some reason. I've got to think of something; or else I'm going to be a char-broiled marshmallow before this is through…_

"**I'm impressed; you've lasted longer that I thought you would. I'll tell you what: surrender to me now, and I'll let you and your friends leave here with your lives. How does that sound?"**

"Take the offer!" Marx shouted out to Kirby, but he was quickly shut up by Kirby with a brick thrown at his forehead.

"I'm not going to stop fighting until all 5 Sparkling Stars are back where they belong!"

"**You're either brave or you have a death wish. Either way; you just blew your last chance on life! Now I'm going to blow you and your friends to Kingdom Hearts!"**

"Oh no," Marx panicked, "not Kingdom Hearts; ANYTHING but Kingdom Hearts, please!!"

Marx then paused and thought for a moment before realizing something.

"Uh, what IS Kingdom Hearts anyway?"

"**Heck if I know; I'm not the one writing this story, ya know…"**

Senior raised his hands in the air, and in a large puff of smoke a bomb formed that was AT LEAST as big as he was. Kirby took one look at that giant bomb and INSTANTLY froze up in fear.

"**Ha ha ha ha haaa! Do you like it? This bomb will take all 3 of you out at once!"**

"Kirby," Poppy yelled, "get out of there; we need to run!"

Kirby would have run if he could, but his feet were practically glued to the ground by the fear he was experiencing at the sight of the giant bomb that was right in front of him. His brain told him to head for the hills, but his body wasn't getting the message. All he could do was watch as Senior leaned back in preparation to throw the bomb.

"**Now; EAT THIS!!"**

"_Wait a minute,"_ Kirby realized to himself, _"__eat__; that's it!"_

The moment that the bomb left Senior's hand was the moment that Kirby put his idea to work. Kirby tried his Inhale ability again, but this time it was directed at the bomb. Sure enough; the bomb was caught by the vortex and instantly sucked into Kirby's mouth. This, of course, caused Kirby's body to be expanded outward to the size and shape of the bomb. Everyone just looked at Kirby in confusion at what he just did.

"**Uh, you know, when I said to 'eat it'; I didn't imply that I actually wanted you to eat it, you know?"**

"Ah mho, mhuh ah shut pfhat iph ah apfhe ish pfshen ah'd bhe abfle thu dhu dish!"

Kirby took as deep of a breath as he could with that bomb in his mouth, and (with a mighty heave) spit the bomb back up at the giant Poppy Bro. Senior panicked when he saw this, and held up his hands in defense. Without even realizing it; he caught the bomb perfectly, and just stood there as the fuse burned. After a few moments passed, Senior managed to open one of his eyes to see that the bomb was unexploded in his hands. This, of course, caused him such great pride in himself that he held the bomb high and began to laugh triumphantly…

…of course; he didn't notice that the fuse had just finished burning through. The bomb began to glow a bit as beams of light shot out of it as the bomb got ready to burst. Kirby, Marx & Poppy just simply ducked down and covered their heads (though, technically, Marx can't really do that) as the bomb finally unleashed it's flaming fury on Senior, blasting him off into the horizon screaming. Kirby and the gang all just watched as the poor giant Poppy Bro. flew far out until he was out of view.

"The poor guy," Kirby sighed in pity, "I know that he was psychotic; but no one deserves to go out like that…"

"Kirby," Marx interrupted, "we need to get out of here before more of those guys show up!"

Kirby nodded, "All right then; the Sparkling Star awaits us so let's get moving!"

Both Marx and Poppy both nodded in agreement before running into the woods, but Poppy paused for a moment when he heard something moving nearby. He looked to the source of the sound, which was near some bushes, but saw nothing. Shrugging it off as mild paranoia, he quickly ran off to catch up to his two new friends. If only he had stayed longer, however, he would have noticed the glowing, yellow eyes of a masked & caped Dreamlander swordsman hiding in the bushes.

"_That pink one has great potential,"_ the swordsman said, _"he could be the one that I have waited for…"_

* * *

**Slam422: I apologize for the long wait on this one; but I have gotten into doing sprite comics as of late and, I'm sorry to say, I find it much easier to do then writing fan fiction chapters. Please know, however, that I am still going to continue writing regardless of that fact.**

**In any case, I hope that you liked this chapter. The next chapter will have the actual introduction of Meta Knight into the story, where he will reveal some important info to Kirby, and the fight against Whispy Woods for the first Sparkling Star will begin.**

**Oh, and in case any of you were wondering what Kirby said while he had the bomb in his mouth, it was "I know, but I thought that if I ate it then I'd be able to do this!"**

**Until next time; Later Days!**


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